Historical Data Display for Aircraft 68-15298

Aircraft Accident/Incident History

Date: 22 Sep 1969Description:Total flight hours at this point: 850
Unit: 71 AHC
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was UNK
for Troop Insertation
While on Landing Zone this helicopter was on Take-Off at 0010 feet and 015 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 2 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Right Side
Systems damaged were: PERSONNEL
Casualties = 01 WIA . .
The helicopter Continued Flight.
The aircraft was diverted or delayed after completing some mission objectives.
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: BDART, 00079 (Battle Damage Assessment and Reporting Team Report.)

Aircraft departed Artillery Hill enroute to OP #1, with a resupply load of cargo. The cargo consisted of 13 cases of soft drinks, two rubberized water containers filled with water and 2 passengers. CPT Shulsen requested smoke on arrival at the destination and orbited the landing zone in order to evaluate the wind conditions. After determining the wind direction and velocity, CPT Shulsen initiated an approach to the single ship landing zone that was located on a pinnalce elevated 501 feet above sea level. During the final approach, the marking smoke was observed to swirl and shift rapidly causing CPT Shulsen to abort the approach and execute a go-around. He then requested that another smoke grenade be activated. After ths smoke stabilized and gave an indication of the wind conditions. CPT Shulsen commenced the second approach directly into the wind. Prior to termination, at approximately 15 feet above and 20 feet from the pinnacle, the aircraft shuddered, descended rapidly and began a slow turn to the right. Application of full collective did not check the descent. The aircraft contacted the muddy surface of the landing site and continued toward the opposite lip of the pinnalce. CPT Shulsen lowered the collective in an attempt to arrest the forward progress of the aircraft. Ground contact caused the chin bubbles to shatter and the cargo to shift forward to a position directly behind the pilots seats. CPT Shulsen and the crew exited the aircraft to discover that the aircraft had been landed in a downwind condition. The wind was no longer from the direction as indicated by the smoke grenade, but from 180 deg off the nose of the aircraft, at an estimated 10 to 20 knots velocity. The aircraft was rigged for removal and delivered to the 71st AHC flight line at Chu Lai by a CH-47 aircraft.

Date: 01 Dec 1969Description:Total flight hours at this point: 905
Unit: 142 TC CO
This was a Combat incident. This helicopter was UNK
for Troop Insertation
While on Landing Zone this helicopter was Landing at 0015 feet and 020 knots.
South Vietnam
Helicopter took 5 hits from:
Small Arms/Automatic Weapons; Gun launched non-explosive ballistic projectiles less than 20 mm in size. (7.62MM)
The helicopter was hit in the Left Side
Systems damaged were: ENGINE, TRANSMISSION
The helicopter Crashed. Aircraft is later recovered by any means other than its own power.
Both mission and flight capability were terminated.
Additional crash damage
Original source(s) and document(s) from which the incident was created or updated: Survivability/Vulnerability Information Analysis Center Helicopter database. Also: BDART, 00242 (Battle Damage Assessment and Reporting Team Report.)